Means for generating electricity from car-wheel axles.



No. 632,42I. Patented Sept. 5, I899.

' III.v MOSKOWITZ.

MEANS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CAR WHEEL AXLES. (Applicationfiled Aug. 3, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shea! l.

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Patented Sept. 5, I899.

No. 632,42l.

M. MOSKOWITZ.

MEANS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CAR WHEEL AXLES.

(Application filed Aug. 3, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT MORRIS MOSKOIVITZ, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC OAR LIGHTING COMPANY, OF \VEST VIRGINIA.

MEANS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY FROM CAR-WHEEL AXLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,421, dated$eptember 5, 1899.

Application filed August 3, 1898- Serial N0- 67,600. (N0 model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MORRIS MOSKOWITZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for GeneratingElectricity from Oar-Vheel Axles; and I do hereby declare the followingto be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others killed in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My present invention relates, primarily, to a novel means for driving anelectric machine or dynamo arranged in a rigid position on the track ofa railway-car from the car-wheel axle by means of a frictional powertransmission.

This invention therefore has forits principal object to provide africtional power transmission of a novel construction which is verysimple and is effective when in operation, the same being arrangedbetween the drivingpulley on the car-wheel axle and the driven wheel orpulley on the armatureshaft of the dynamo, and the same being of such aconstruction that under all the various conditions due to inequalitiesin the road-bed and varying weights in the body of the car constantfrictional contact is made at several different points with saidcar-axle pulley or driver and the driven wheel on the armatureshaft,such contact being made at all times.

A further object of this invention is to produce a device of thecharacter stated in which the several parts which make operativefrictional contact are automatically adjustable in relation to thecontact -surfaces of the driver on the car-wheel axle and the drivenwheel on the armature-shaft of the dynamo irrespective of the varyingpositions of the said driver during the movements of the train.

A further object of this invention is to dispense with the use of a beltor belts and to provide an efl'icient arrangement of frictionpulleys inoperative contact with the driver on the car-wheel axle and the drivendynamopulley, whereby when it becomes necessary to remove the car-wheelaxle for repairs this can be accomplished in very little time andwithout disturbing the positions of either the dynamo and its parts orof the friction-drive for operating the dynamo.

This invention consists more especially in the arrangement of a suitableframe having slidably-arranged pulleys and an actuating means wherebysaid pulleys are brought in frictional contact at several points withthe driver on the car-wheel axle and the driven pulley on thearmature'shaft of the dynamo, the said slidably-arranged pulleys oridlers having a normal tendency to draw together, whereby, although theframe is loosely arranged at a point between the driver and drivenpulley, frictional contact is made at several points and an idealconstruction of friction-drive is produced for use more especially insystems of lighting railway-cars by means of electricity generated froma carwheel axel, where the driver is always liable of moving out of itspredetermined position.

The arrangements and constructions of the several parts of the devicecomprising my novel form of friction-drive are such that thefriction-pulleys or idlers will follow as well as maintain theirfrictional contact with the varying positions of the driver on thecar-wheel axle, the whole apparatus or device assuming such differentpositions of its own accord. This is solely due to the fact that theframe of the device is not anchored to some rigid support, but has itsidlers in rolling frictional contact at several points with theoperatingsurfaces of the driver and the driven wheel. When thedriving-pulley, which is a part of the car-wheel axle, moves up or down,the distance between the said driver and the driven pulley is eitherincreased or decreased, and the angle of operative contact of the partsof the frame of the apparatus or device, which in the first instance wasfixed-that is, before any movement takes placesoon varies with themovement of the train, the friction-wheels or idlers rolling over therespective surfaces of the driver and the driven wheel and assuming thebest positions to adapt the device to the constantly-varying conditionsand at all times keeping in frictional contact with the driver and thedriven pulley. Furthermore, by the arrangement of certain springs agiven pressure between the contacting surfaces can be produced, andowing to the additional points of contact greater power can betransmitted from the driver to the driven wheel, and all possibility ofslip between the parts is entirely overcome.

The invention furthermore consists in the several novel arrangements andcombinations of parts and in the various details of the constructionthereof, all of which will be fully described in the accompanyingspecification and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a car-truck and one of thecar-wheel axles, illustrating in side view the application of myinvention thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan View of said parts represented inFig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale and takenon line 00 x in said Fig. 1, of a pair of friction-pulleys or idlers tobe placed in operative rolling contact with the pulleys on the car-wheelaxle and on the armature-shaft of the dynamo.

Similar letters of reference are employed in all of the above-describedviews to indicate corresponding parts.

In saiddrawings, A indicates the car-truck, a the equalizing-bars, and athe cross-beams at the ends of the truck.

B is any one of the well-known forms of dynamo, which is supported bymeans of suitable brackets or straps, as b, to said crossbeam a. Thearmature-shaft b is provided at one end with a pulley 19 which ispreferably provided with a covering of rawhide 19 as indicated inFig. 1. Upon the car-wheel axle a I have secured a pulley-wheel a whichis preferably made in halves and is provided with flanges a and bolts awhereby the halves of said pulley can be secured together and firmlyclamped in the desired position upon the car-wheel axle and in alinementwith the pulley b of the dynamo, as will be evident from Fig. 2. Withthe said dynamo are connected the usual circuit-wires, (not shown in thedrawings,) which extend from the said dynamo to suitablyplaced lamps andother electrical translating devices in the body of the car. i

To cause the rotation of the armatureshaft of the dynamo from therotating carwheel axle, I have provided the friction drive or apparatusD, (illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3,) which consists,essentially, of a pair of pulleys or idlers d and 61, adapted to bebrought in operative and rolling frictional contact with the surfaces ofsaid pulleys a and 19 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, whereby by sucharrangement of the two pulleys cl and d I obtain greater driving powerto drive the armature-shaft pulley and also a constant frictional andoperative contact between the surfaces of the several pulley-wheels,such contact being made at several points of the said wheels. Saidpulley-wheels cl and d each have a spindle or shaft 11 the ends of whichare fitted in bearings d of a pair of frames (1 and d Said frame 61* isfixed to a pair of rods 01", but said frame 01 is slidably arranged onsaid rods, said rods passing through perforations d in the bearings (Zof the frame d while the lower ends of said rods are preferably providedwith the screw ends d whereby said ends are firmly screwed into thescrewholes in the bearing portions of the said frame The upper ends ofsaid rods d are provided with washers d and suitable nuts 61*. Springse, which encircle said rods on the portions between the said washers dand the bearings of the frame 61 are employed, the normal tendency ofsaid springs being to force the pulley d in a downward direction towardthe pulley d, and when the device D is placed between the two pulleys aand b the result of such tendency of said springs c will be to retainsaid device D in its operative position between the driver a and thedriven pulley b and said pulleys cl and d will always be in rollingfrictional contact with said pulleys a, and b on opposite sides of aplane passing through the central axes of the car-wheel axle and thearmature-shaft of the dynamo. Owing to the sliding motion of the pulleyd on the rods 61 any difference of height between the car-wheel axle andthe armature-shaft of the dynamo on the car-truck caused by the varyingloads in the body of the car and any vibratory motion of the car-wheelaxle in its bearings will be compensated for by the said springs 6,thereby under all conditions resulting in a perfect and operativerolling frictional contact of the pulleys or idlers d and d on oppositesides, respectively, of the pulleys a and b with the desired result ofproducing a simple, practical, and noiselesslyoperating mechanism foroperating a dynamo from a rotating car-wheel axle.

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In order that the spindles or shafts 01 may be properly protected fromdirt and dust, the ends of the several bearing portions d of the deviceD are preferably closed by means of suitably-constructed dust caps orcovers it, which are secured in position by bolts or screws h.

As will be seen more especially from Fig. 3, the frames d and d arerespectively provided with screw-threaded bosses or enlargements c1 and(Z a rod or post f being screwed in the upper boss or enlargement (Z anda similar rod or post f being screwed in the lower boss or enlargement61 Each rod or post f and f is preferably flattened on the oppositesides, as at f (See Fig. 2.) The said rod or post f is movablevertically between the side pieces of a suitable yoke or frame 2', Whichis secured by means of bolts 2', or in any other well-known manner, to abar or block a attached on the said cross-beam a by means of bolts a andthe said rod or post f is likewise movable vertically between the sidepieces of a similar yoke or frame 2' which is secured to a block or bara on the under side of said cross-beam a by means of bolts a all ofwhich will be clearly understood from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2.One ob-' ject of this arrangement of posts or rods f and f and yokes orframes i and 2' is to limit the lateral movement of the device D, andthereby prevent any possible disengagement of the idlers or pulleys dand d from their operative frictional contact with the driver a and thedriven wheel 17 As will be seen from the several figures of thedrawings, the said rods or posts f and f may be provided with suitablenuts f which can be screwed tightly against the edges 2' of the frame 1'and the edges 71 of the frame 2' whereby the springs e can be suitablycompressed to bring the friction-wheels or idlers d and d farther apartand out of their operative frictional contact with the driver a when itbecomes necessary to remove the car-wheel axle for repairs and withoutdisturbing the position of the dynamo and its parts, the said yokes orframes i and 2' retaining the said device D in position until thecar-wheel axle has again been placed in its bearings in the car-truck,when the nuts f can be released, and the springs e will again cause theoperative and rolling frictional contact between the several pulleys a(1 d, and b aswill be clearly understood. The said pulley-wheels oridlers (Z and d may be covered with rawhide or other like material c1thereby providing a good frictional contact between the engagingsurfaces of the several pulleys and also reducing all noise to aminimum.

The operations of the several parts of the device are practical, and inconstruction are very simple,and a noiselessly-operatin g mechanism hasbeen provided for operating a dynamo from a rotating car-wheel axle.

The armature-wires of the dynamo may be arranged in any well-knownmanner, and any suitable construction of dynamo can be used. It will befurther understood that I may use in connection with the dynamo and itscircuits any of the well-known forms of polechangers, actingautomatically or otherwise, whereby the current can be made to travel ineither direction, according to the direction of the travel of the car.

It will also be evident that changes maybe made in the severalarrangements and combinations of parts of the driving mechanism hereinset forth, as well as in the details of the construction thereof,without departing from the scope of my present invention. Hence I do notlimit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of partsas herein described and illustrated, nor do I limit myself to the exactdetails of the construction of such parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination,with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, and a truck-frame,

of a dynamo located on the car-truck, having an armature-shaft, apulley-wheel on said shaft, a frame located between said drivingpulleyand the pulleypn the armatureshaft, friction-pulleys or idlers in saidframe in rolling frictional contact at several points with saiddriving-pulley and said armature-shaft pulley and making contact onopposite sides of the central axes of said pulleys, and means connectedwith said truck-frame to prevent lateral motion of said friction pulleysor idlers, consisting, essentially, of yokes or frames 1' and 2' andposts or rodsfand f on said frames in which said friction-pulleys oridlers are located, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, anda truck-frame, of a dynamo located on the car-truck, having anarmature-shaft, a pulley-wheel on said shaft, a frame D located betweensaid driving-pulley and the pulley on the armatureshaft, bearingsconnected with said frame D, shafts or spindles rotating in saidbearings, springactuated friction-pulleys or idlers on said shafts orspindles in rolling frictional contact at several points with saiddrivingpulley and said armature-shaft pulley and making contact onopposite sides of the central axes of said pulleys, and means connectedwith said truck-frame to prevent lateral motion of said pulleys,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with a car-Wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, anda truck-frame, of a dynamo located on the car-truck, having anarmature-shaft, a pulley-Wheel on said shaft, a frame D located betweensaid driving-pulley and the pulley on the armatureshaft, bearingsconnected with said frame D, shafts or spindles rotating in saidbearings, spring-actuated friction-pulleys or idlers on said shafts orspindles in rolling frictional contact at several points with saiddrivingpulley and said armature-shaft pulley and making contact onopposite sides of the central axes of said pulleys, and means connectedwith said truck-frame to prevent lateral motion of said pulleys,consisting, essentially, of yokes or frames 1' or 2' and posts f and fon said frame in which said friction-pulleys or idlers are located,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, anda truck-frame, of a dynamo located on the oar-truck, having anarmature-shaft, a pulley-wheel on said shaft, a frame D located betweensaid drivingpulley and the pulley on the armature-shaft, bearingsconnected with said frame D arranged one above the other, shafts orspindles rotating in said bearings, friction-pub leys or idlers on saidshafts or spindles, rods 01 secured to said lower bearings and passingthrough perforations in said upper bearings, and springs e encirclingsaid rods exerting pressure upon said upper bearings, whereby saidfriction-pulleys or idlers are brought in with said driving-pulley andsaid armatureshaft pulley and making contact on opposite sides of thecentral axes of said pulleys, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

5. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a drivingpulley thereon, anda truck-frame,

of a dynamo located on the car-truck, having an armature-shaft, apulley-wheel on said shaft, a frame D located between saiddriving-pulley and the pulley on the armatureshaft, bearings connectedwith said frame D arranged one above theother, shafts or spindlesrotatingin said bearings, friction-pulleys or idlers on said shafts orspindles, rods d secured to said lower bearings and passing throughperforations in said upper bearings, springs c encircling said rodsexerting pressure upon said lower bearings, whereby saidfriction-pulleys or idlers are brought in rolling frictional contactatseveral points with said driving-pulley and said armature-shaft pulleyand making contact on opposite sides of the central axes of saidpulleys, and means connected with said truck-frame to prevent lateralmotion of said pulleys, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with a car-wheel axle, a driving-pulley thereon, anda truck-frame,

of' a dynamo located on the car-truck, having an armature-shaft, apulley-wheel on said shaft, a frame D located between said drivingpulleyand the pulley on the armature-shaft, bearings connected with said frameD arranged one above the other, shafts or spindles rotating in saidbearings, friction-pulleys 0r idlcrs on said shafts or spindles, rods dsecured to said lower bearings and passing through perforations in saidupper bearings, springs e encircling said rods exerting pressure uponsaid lower bearings, whereby said friction-pulleys or idlers are broughtin rolling frictional contact at several points with said driving-pulleyand said armature-shaft pulley and making contact on opposite sides ofthe central axes of said pulleys, and means connected with saidtruck-frame to prevent lateral motion of said pulleys, consisting, es

sentially, of yokes or frames i and i and 50 posts f and f on said framein which said friction-pulleys are located, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim theinvention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 55 22d day of July, 1898.

MORRIS MOSKOWITZ. Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, WALTER H. TALMAGE.

